Gateway Church's Podcast
The Power of Vision
In the book of first Chronicles, chapter 29, first Chronicles, chapter 29, verse three, "Moreover, because I have set my affection "to the house of my God, "I have of my own proper good of gold and silver, "which I have given to the house of my God, "over and above all that I have prepared "for the holy house." Amen, amen. The setting of this passage, and actually of both chapters 28 and 29, the setting is much like our gathering here today. In that it is the gathering of the nation, the 12 tribes, the nation of Israel, have gathered in a place, and before them there stands David. And as the nation gathers in the presence of God and in the presence of David who has led them, he is about to share with them a vision. Now, it might seem, when others have suggested that these passages are about an offering, some of us say this more about preparation for building a building, and it is all of that. But more importantly, it is the sharing of a vision, a vision, and that's what we're going to look at today. We're going to look at the power of vision, the power of vision. We've been in a study for the last several weeks under this series titled "The Power of We," "The Power of We." And God would have us know today and have a deeper understanding of the power of vision. David is about to pass the baton to his son Solomon who will carry on with God's will and God's destiny for the people of Israel and for his people. But more than simply sharing the baton and sharing in directions for the funeral, he is in fact sharing a vision. This is the sharing of a vision as God confirms Solomon to come behind David and to carry on the leadership that God has begun with David. David stands now and he is about to share with the people of God a vision. These two chapters revolve around the sharing of the power of vision, the power of vision. Come with me back to chapter 28 and look at verse 12. Verse 12 says the pattern of all that he had by the spirit of the courts of the house of the Lord, of the chambers round about in the treasuries of the house of God and of the treasuries of the dedicated things. The first phrase says the pattern of all that he had by the spirit. Now notice if you have a King James version that word spirit has a small S, small S. But if you have a New King James or maybe even an IV, you will discover that the word spirit has a capital S, a capital S. New King James says and the plans for all that he had by the spirit indicating the Holy Spirit. Now which is it? Is it the capital S, is it the small S, is it the Holy Spirit, is it the spirit meaning the mind of David or the mind of man? Is it which, is it point A, is it point B, is it door number one or door number two, capital S, small S, which is it yes? Yes, it's both, it is both. Because listen, the first thing you learn about the power of spirit is the power of vision is this. Is that this in vision is introduced by the spirit of God, vision is introduced by the spirit of God. Is it, is it the Holy Spirit or is it man spirit? It's both, because here's how God releases vision. It is the spirit of God who releases and plants vision into the spirit of man. In this case, it's David. David has received the revelation of God's will for the people of God and this vision by the power of the Holy Spirit has been deposited, if you will, into David's spirit. And David now is about to share it, he's about to share it. And so the sharing of this vision is in fact that which was introduced to him planted in his spirit by the Holy Spirit. David says, the Bible says in verse 12, the pattern, the word pattern, some versions say the plan, some versions say, the living Bible says the blueprint. And so here we have David having received by the power of the Holy Spirit into his spirit, a blueprint, a plan when version calls it a pattern, one calls it construction directions, one calls it architectural details. The idea is that that which began as a vision has now been concretized, has now been codified, has now been written, if you will, and that David is now presenting that plan that God has given him, that God has given him in a vision. It has now been documented, if you will. Many of you know what God said to the prophet, Habakkuk and Habakkuk 2, the Bible says, Habakkuk 2 says, write the vision, write the vision, write the vision. In Habakkuk chapter two, he says, write that vision and make that vision plain, make that vision understandable. We've just seen a rendering, if you will, of what the building is going to look like, or what the future of this ministry is going to look like. That is but a pattern, that's an image, if you will, that is writing the vision, technologically, we have written this vision. And so in Habakkuk chapter two, verse two, it says, write the vision. But understand that the vision of Habakkuk 2 and 2 does not begin with the vision of Habakkuk 2 and 2. I'll say it again, the vision of Habakkuk 2 and 2 does not begin with the vision of Habakkuk 2 and 2. In fact, the vision of Habakkuk 2 and 2 begins with Habakkuk 1 and 1. Habakkuk 2 and 2 talks about the vision, write the vision, make the vision plain. But Habakkuk 1 and 1 says, the burden, the burden which the prophets saw, don't miss that. The vision of Habakkuk 2 and 2, which was to be written and documented, that vision begins with a burden. This ministry is driven by vision that is birthed out of burden. I'll say it again, burden births vision. The vision that he saw was the result of the burden that he saw, the burden that he felt. This ministry is driven by a burden. Bigger than a building, bigger than brick and mortar, it is driven by a burden. A burden for the kingdom, a burden for souls, a burden to see men and women healed and delivered and saved and maturing and growing and discipled. That is the very burden that drives this ministry. It is beyond a building. If all you see is brick and mortar, you're missing it. Because there's a burden that has a vision, a vision for the kingdom of God. The Bible says that he presented a plan, but it in fact was a plan birthed out of a burden. There is a burden that rests on this ministry. There's a burden that rests on the leadership of these men and women who guide this ministry. It is a burden for the kingdom. And from that burden, the vision accommodates the manifestation of that burden. In other words, this building is meant but to facilitate the burden of the kingdom that rests on this house, that drives this house, that motivates this house. The Bible says that he came with a pattern or a plan that came forth from a vision. Now the word vision comes from a Latin word, vadéo, which means to see. And it is transliterated, as we might well imagine, into our culture as a video. So vision is related to video. I know you don't play video games, you're too spiritual for that. But a vision is much like a video. It is like a video, listen. Vision is an ongoing revelation of God's will. Say it again, vision is when God shows you, gives you an ongoing revelation. Vision is never static. It is never stable, it is never in concrete. Vision is dynamic and moving and ever unfolding and ever progressive. So there's a vision for this house. Some of you here today, some of you here today. You will come into this service and you will be blessed by the presence of God. You will come to this service, you'll be blessed by the manifestations of God's presence and the fellowship with one another. You might be so blessed and so impressed that you might determine that God has signed, assigned your life to be planted in this house. And you will cast your lot with this ministry and you'll become a part of this ministry. And in your mind, you'll take a snapshot of what God does today. And you'll see how it feels and what it looks like. And you'll see how God moves. And in your mind, you'll take a snapshot, a freezing of a moment in time of what God has done today. And it will motivate you and inspire you and encourage you. But if you were to come back two, three years from now, things will look different around here. Because ministry and vision is not a snapshot. It's not a freezing of a moment in time. Vision means that God is not finished yet. It is an ever unfolding revelation of God's will. You sang it a few moments ago in that song. I heard you, I saw you. That song that says there are things that God still wants to do in this city. There are things that God still wants to do in your life. Vision suggests that God is not finished yet. There's more to be done. There's more to be done in this city and this community through you, through this house, through this ministry. The vision means that God is continuing to unfold. New opportunities, new possibilities. Your eyes have not seen, your ears have not heard. Even through this building, there's something that God wants to do far beyond what you can see. Because there's a burden that drives the vision and the vision is ever unfolding. First of all, what do we learn about the power of vision? Vision is introduced, listened by the Spirit of God. Now come with me if you will, stay there and go to chapter 28, verse 20. And listen to what the Bible says about the power of vision. And David said to Solomon, his son, be strong and of good courage and do it. Everyone say do it. Fear not nor be dismayed. For the Lord God, even my God, will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake thee until thou has finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. He says, the things that God is calling you to do, be of good courage, do it. Everyone say do it. Do it. And then immediately he says now, do it and fear not. Notice the connection. Because David recognizes that whenever God calls you to do something, the first attack of the enemy is to cause you to back up in fear. He recognizes that the enemy is out to short circuit God's vision for your life, to short circuit God's vision for your destiny, for your home, for your family, for this ministry. And so as soon as he says do it, be of good courage, he says don't fear, don't back away from it, but go forth and do it. What do we learn about the power, listen, the power of vision? Not only does it introduce by the spirit of God, here's the point. It includes the presence of God. David says God is with you. Don't be afraid, why? Because God is with us. He says he will never leave you nor forsake you. God is with us, us. And you shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us. That name, Emmanuel, is not so much a name of address. In fact, there's no place in scripture where anyone addresses God as Emmanuel. Emmanuel is not a name of God to be expressed as much as it is a name of God to be experienced. Did you get that? You missed it, I'll give it to you again. He says, don't be afraid because God is with us. It speaks of that name of God, God, Emmanuel, God with us, God with us. Not so much an address or an expression of an address or a name of God as much as it is an experience. So the prophet says, don't be afraid. Now, listen, here's the catch. He says, in light of what God is calling us to do, in light of this vision, don't be afraid. Don't back up, don't be dismayed. Be encouraged, why? Because God is with us. Because God is with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. Isn't it interesting, isn't it interesting that God has this ministry at this point in time for such a time as this? Isn't it interesting that God has a facing an exciting opportunity to expand this ministry, to expand the reach of God's power in presence in this house? And isn't it interesting that he has done it at such a time as this? God did not receive a news flash last week. For those of you who might wonder, there was no special messenger who came to God and said, oh, by the way, watch that stock market. Did you know that the stock market is about to fall God? And by the way, did you know that this is the same time you're calling gateway to fulfill a great vision? Did you happen to notice that they're happening at about the same time? There was no news flash in heaven. There were no surprises with God. God was not caught off guard, trust me, when the stock market deal, whatever the stock market does. And so he says, be not afraid for God is with us. You do not serve a God who adjusts to the economy. You serve a God who's bigger than the economy. Fear not because your God is bigger than the economy. The vision that God is calling to do, go forth and do it. How can we do it in times like this? Because God is with us. How can we do it in times like this? Because God will never leave us nor forsake us. I, someone, someone, I said this earlier, I don't know who it is. Someone, someone leading into this campaign and you've been talking about this campaign for weeks and weeks, the commitment that you're going to make. Someone, someone in this house, you might identify yourself later on to the pastors. But you have been praying and you've been meditating about an amount that you're going to give. And what happened last week has caused you to back up. Well, maybe not, maybe this is not the time. I'm impressed by Genesis 26 where it says, and they sold even in a time of famine. You didn't get that. They sold when the economy was bad. They sold when there was a famine in the land. And yet they sold because God is not limited to the restrictions and even the fears of time. In a few weeks we're going to have an election and somebody will win. Doesn't matter who you vote for or somebody will win. And whoever wins will be, they will reign for four years. Whoever wins will reign. And if they're lucky, they may even reign for eight years. But after eight years they have term limits and they're out of there. But you serve a God who needs no nomination. You serve a God who did not get elected. He doesn't need a motion or the second of a motion. He has no term limits. He shall not reign for a while and then step off and pass on the leadership to someone else. He is king of kings. He is Lord of lords. And he shall reign forever and ever and ever and ever. And he has called you for such a time as this because he is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He was the same before the market crashed. He will be the same if the market rises because he is God same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Don't be afraid. Don't back up. Don't be discouraged. God is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. And he shall reign forever. [APPLAUSE] I-- I-- I sense and impassionately we did not confer on this. We did not consult on this. But I sense in my spirit and we've talked about it before. I didn't know that he was going to make that video. I bind the spirit of fear that would come into your mind, come into your finances, come into your life. I bind that spirit of fear by the power of Jesus to Christ. I bind it off of your spirit. I bind it off of your home. I bind it off of your mind. I bind it off of your job. God is with you. Go forth and do it. And he shall reign forever. [APPLAUSE] God says, God says, go forth and do it. I'll never leave you nor forsake you. I love that verse. Why can we-- why-- why should we not be afraid? Why should we not fear? God says, because I will never leave you nor forsake you. The word leave means-- the word leave means to stay behind. You get that? When God says I'll never leave you, the word leave means to stay behind. The word for forsake means to go ahead of. You didn't get it. I'll give it to you again. When God says I'll never leave you, leave means to stay behind. For sake means to go ahead of. Here's what God says. The vision has been shared. Now do it. And don't be afraid, because I would never call you to do anything and stand back and tell you to do it on your own. I'll never leave you and wait back here and tell you to go forward and do it, because I know you cannot. On the other hand, I'll never go down the road and wait for you to catch up and say, now, make it from there to hear by yourself. God says, no, I'm so much God. I am the God who am. God says, who is the God? Who is he? He, Moses says, tell them that I am the God I am that I am. What's your name? I am that I am. He is the God who am. He never was was. He never will be will be. He am what he is, and he am what he was, and he am what he will be. And that's just God all by himself. God says, I will never leave you nor forsake you. And every step of the way he walks with you, he covers you, every obstacle, every trial that the enemy will form against you. It shall not prosper. For God says, I am with you every step of the way. Tell your neighbor, do it. What is the power of vision is introduced by the spirit of God? It includes the presence of God. Watch this. Go to chapter 29, verse 2. I love what David says. David says in verse 2, now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God. Come down to verse 3. Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of my own proper good of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God. Watch this phrase, over and above, over and above, all that I have prepared for the holy house. Look at me, watch this. He says this, I have prepared to sow into this vision. Ah, there's the power of vision. Not only is it introduced by the spirit of God, not only does it include the presence of God, I love this. Listen, it inspires investment in the people of God. It inspires investment by the people of God. Introduced by the spirit of God, includes the presence of God, inspires investment by the people of God. Here's what David says. David says, I have prepared over and above what I have prepared. David says this, I have determined to sow into this vision. That's what you must understand. It is not even so much a building yet. The ground has not even been broken per se. David says, I've seen the vision. I've seen the vision. And I've prepared to sow into this vision. David says, I've made a commitment. Here's what he says, I have prepared. It is the idea of careful, intentional decision-making. David says, I've prepared. This is not a knee-jerk reaction. This is not some emotional response. But David says, I have prepared with intentionality, with deliberateness. I have determined, listen, a realistic faith commitment. I've prayed about it. I've contemplated it. I've planned it. I've prepared it. And he says, I've done it. Over and above my regular giving, I love that. So we realize that by now, the tithing and offering system is already initiated through Moses. But David says, over and above that, I'm not just taking out of this pot, putting in another pot. David says, I've prepared. I have intentionally made a realistic faith commitment. I've determined it. I've meditated upon it. It's not a knee-jerk emotional response. What David says is, I have with all of my might. Here's the point, don't miss this. David says, I'm doing my best. I have with all of my might. David says, I'm giving and I'm sowing into this vision. I'm investing in this vision. I'm doing my best. That's what God says. Do your best. How do I invest? I invest by doing my best. How do I sow into this vision? I do my best. It is not so much that my best, maybe like someone else's best. My daughter is a college student at Hampton University. I tell her, I said, all I expect from you is to do your best. If your best is an A, get an A. If your best is a C, get a C. If your best is an A, and you get a C, we have a problem. Because all that I expect is to do your best. That's the model that David gives here. David says, I have prepared with all of my might. And as you continue to read the passage, you'll understand that they gave on different levels. Some gave goals, some gave silver, some gave brass, some gave tens of thousands, some gave hundreds of thousands. But everyone did their best. Someone, someone, someone, I keep coming back to this, had made a decision, a faith decision. You'd come to an amount, a figure, before last week, and you would determine that's the way you're going to go, that's the level of which you're going to make your commitment. But because of last week, you're backing away from it and shearing away from it. God says, God says, listen, God says, He says this, do your best. Go back to the passage, David begins to talk to God and he says, I have done my best. I've set my affection on the house, listen, I've set my affection. And following that, everyone in the nation, in one level or another, begins to participate. Everybody responds and they respond by doing their best. All that God ever requires for you is that you do your best. But the idea is that the whole nation caught the vision. What is the power of vision? It is introduced by the Spirit of God. It includes the presence of God. Listen, it inspires investment by the people of God. I like this. We're going to finish on this. Go back to chapter 29. Here's the last thing. It initiates praise and prayer. Did you get that? Chapter 29. Look at the Bible. Verse 9 says this. And the people rejoiced for they offered willingly because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord. And David the king also rejoiced. They're rejoicing. They're praising God. They're celebrating God. And the Bible continually emphasizes they did it with the willing heart. Look at verse 10. Verse 10 goes from praise to prayer. David stands and blesses the Lord. He begins to pray. Look at verse 12. And in his prayer, here's what he says, "Lord, both riches and honor come from thee, and thou rainest overall, and in thine hand is power and might. And in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, O God, we thank thee, and we praise thy glorious name." I love this next verse. "For who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly of this sort, for all things come, all things come of thee, and of thine own, have we given thee?" I love it. Watch this. I love this prayer. David prays. And he prays in the midst of the, he prays in the midst of the praise of the people. He prays in the midst of the praise of the people. Now watch this in his prayer. He says this, "Lord, He thanks God." I love this verse. He thanks God for the privilege of giving to the vision. The building wasn't even there yet. And he thanks God. He says, "Wow, look, who am I, who are we, that you would allow us, this verse, that you would allow us to give, that you would allow us to sow into this vision. Who are we that you would even receive this?" He says this. Because all that we have comes from you. And so when we give, we're simply giving from your hand back into your hand. I love that verse. He says, "Lord, all that we have, we have received from your hand, and when you allow us to give, we now release back into your hand. We've received it from you, and you now allow us to follow the vision by giving into it what you've already given to us." David says, "Who are we that you would allow us to even give and sow into this vision?" I love what the Bible says. He says, "Lord, we thank you, and we praise your name." The Bible says, "They rejoiced, ah, listen, they rejoiced over the vision and the opportunity to sow into the vision. This was not the ribbon-cutting ceremony. This was not the day that they walked through the building. They rejoiced. They got excited because they were now given the opportunity to sow and to give an offering and to invest in a vision that got it already given them. In other words, they were rejoicing before the vision became reality. You did not get that. I'll give it to you again. They were rejoicing before it became a reality. You've got it. I'm going to decide now. They were rejoicing before the vision became a reality, and David said, "Rejoice." David was a man who loved to rejoice. I will bless the Lord at all times, and his praise shall continually be in my mouth. I will bless the Lord at all times when the market is up, when the market is down, when the economy is good, when the economy is bad, when the sun is shining, when there's rain clouds. I will bless the Lord at all times." I could do it by myself, but I won't be selfish. Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. Is there anybody in this house who can praise and rejoice over the building that is not even here yet? Is there anybody in this house who can practice your praise? I dare you to praise God now the way you will praise him when you walk into that building. I dare you to praise God now the way you will praise him when you complete that edifice. I dare you to praise God now and give him glory for what he is going to do. Somebody bless the name of the Lord, the 146th Psalm, praise you the Lord, 147th Psalm, praise you the Lord, 148th Psalm, praise you the Lord, 149th Psalm, praise you the Lord, 150th Psalm, praise you the Lord, let everything that have breath in this house praise you the Lord. Drop your hands or ye people and shout unto the Lord with the shout of triumph, praise you the Lord. Oh, you're not praising him, you're not praising him. That's a cute little paddy cake, but somebody ought to bless the Lord, bless him, bless him. Praise him, praise him, praise him. No paddy cakes, no paddy cakes, somebody praise him, hallelujah. I'm out of here. (applause)